Foraging in My Yard: Wild Salad from 24 Plants of Late Spring & Early Summer

If you have some of these common wild plants, weeds, and trees in your yard, you could be eating an incredibly delicious wild salad, too. I forage 24 plants from my yard. Then I show you how I turn them into an amazing salad with a wild salad dressing, too.
Even though spring is the easiest time for foraging a wild salad, there are still plenty of great wild edible plants to eat as late spring heads into summer.
The plants in order of appearance:
1. Common sowthistle - Sonchus oleraceus
2. Grand fir - Abies grandis
3. Spearmint - Mentha spicata
4. Wild field mustard - Brassica rapa
5. Wild garlic - Allium vineale
6. Chickweed - Stellaria media
7. Black locust - Robinia pseudoacacia
8. Sheep sorrel - Rumex acetosella
9. Blue Spruce - Picea pungens
10. Trailing blackberry - Rubus ursinis
11. Nipplewort - Lapsana communis
12. Cleavers - Galium aparine
13. Oregon grape - Mahonia aquifolium
14. Western Larch - Larix occidentalis
15. Dandelion - Taraxacum officinale
16. Common hawthorn - Crateagus monogyna
17. English daisy - Bellis perennis
18. Hedge mustard - Sisymbrium officinale
19. Curly dock - Rumex crispus
20. Bristly hawksbeard - Crepis setosa
21. Lemon balm - Melissa officinalis
22. White clover - Trifolium repens
23. American elm - Ulmus americana
24. Bittercress - Cardamine hirsuta
Here are some tips for making a great wild salad:
1. Focus on plants that are in good condition.
2. Pick clean. Look through what you pick, as you are picking it. leave the grass, pieces of other plants, and poor-quality plant parts out in the field.
3. Pick organized - and keep everything organized until you've double-checked it all, back in the kitchen
4. Chop the plants into tiny pieces
5. Keep some of the wild flowers aside, to mix into the chopped greens. It all looks nicer that way.
6. Use a simple salad dressing. Let the taste of all those wild plants shine. A simple oil and vinegar mix works fine!
If you enjoy foraging wild plants, here's my playlist - Foraging: Real Food for Regular People
If you want to eat what you forage, here are playlists about preparing your harvests:
Cooking Wild Greens - • Wild Greens Recipes: Y...
Wild Salads - • Wild Salads: Foraging ...
If you like to garden, too, here are my gardening playlists:
Potatoes - An easy and productive garden crop - • Potatoes - An easy and...
Elephant Garlic: How to get the most out of growing Elephant Garlic - • Elephant Garlic - How ...
Collards: How To Grow and Use ALL of Your Collard Plants - • Collards: How To Grow ...
Hops: How To Grow and Use ALL of Your Hop Plants - • Hops: How to Grow and ...
In the Garden - • In the Garden
Here are my playlists about specific wild plants:
Dandelions - • Dandelions: Foraging W...
Wild Mustard Plants - • Wild Mustard Plants: G...
Elderberry - • Elderberry Bushes, Flo...
Spruce Trees - • Spruce Trees: Foraging...
Redbud Trees - • Redbud Trees: Foraging...
Detailed ID of Wild Mushrooms - • Wild Mushrooms - Deep ...
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My channel: Haphazard Homestead: / @haphazardhomestead
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Music: "Fireflies and Stardust", "Garden Music", "Hep Cats", "Lobby Time" and "Marty Gots a Plan" - Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com)
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0
creativecommons.org/licenses/b...
#wildfood #eatyouryard #eatwild #foraging #eatflowers #HaphazardHomestead

[@whitneywolfe5681]

Can I just like come stay with you for a summer?! Man! So knowledgable!!! Thank you so much for your amazing videos! Much respect.

[@sarahsherman9475]

me too!

[@toniahafter]

Me too. And I love your voice

[@geraldinegregory.1803]

Oh Gee, it's going to be soo crowded there !!! 🙂

[@angiejones3714]

If yall do the foraging ill do the cooking got pain issues and wild edibles are not as painful as cultivated planys, but i have days i cant move.

[@healingherbs-makefoodyourm238]

How I wish more people appreciated what nature has freely given.

[@TheBlackSheepDiaries]

Such a helpful video! I'm just now learning about foraging and wild edibles and don't want to slip up and grab the wrong plant. So grateful that kind souls like you are here for us

[@Far-North-Bushcraft-Survival]

It is a great service to your viewers how you share this valuable info that teaches how even the common person can experience great fresh nutrition.

[@HaphazardHomestead]

Thanks for that nice sentiment, Lonnie! I am constantly amazed at how much good food is around in so many places, so much of the time. I hope more folks can enjoy all the abundance, too. Happy foraging up North! I bet things are looking so green up there now!

[@salinawhite7669]

@@HaphazardHomestead GOOD YOU remembered that DIFFERENT NAME herbal medicine IS USED LOT in southeast Asia

[@jennyanimal9046]

More than ever

[@kaylynnelkins8128]

Can you start a series of wild identifications with all separate videos that will help us thoroughly identify wild edibles??

[@occipitalneuralgia2339]

Why not just buy yourself one of the multitude of wild foods/weeds foraging guides? Or keep watching KZbin vids on the subject? Knowledge is easily available....for free online, and in printed field guides you can carry along with you.

[@Mzmissy215]

@@occipitalneuralgia2339 better to watch someone whos showing u what the plants are as opposed to looking it up in a book.

[@rmelnyk3986]

there's a phone app that identifies plants using your phone

[@montananerd8244]

Go with an experienced human. Post on hiking groups online, the mushroom folks are understandably secretive, but the rest of us would love to teach you! Individual plant videos won't help lol, you have to learn it spring to winter, year by year, you can't learn it all and then go out. It's very humbling, I suck at it after 15 years (ie, I couldn't survive in the wild), but I love it and it is my church, my hobby, my prayer, my exercise, everything. It's ethnobotany, you have to learn in community.

[@kaylynnelkins8128]

I've actually learned more through KZbin than i ever have with books. Books help with a specific plant that you're already researching but KZbin can go through a variety with one video that helps you to learn new plants to research

[@artyox5100]

MOTHER EARTH PROVIDES...THANK YOU!

[@michaelwalters7435]

Hypnotized by your voice,knowledge and videos!!!

[@roselynping7161]

Wow! That's what I call rojak salad. Amazing!

[@HaphazardHomestead]

I had to look that up, rosalyn ping, and found 'rojack' means eclectic. So thanks for that great name for my salads! Every one is different, but they are always delicious!

[@AbigailLarrison]

most knowledgeable foraging I have seen. Thank you!!!

[@shadowleep]

You really know how to make a fellows mouth water. Thanks for the video.

[@abstractcreations246]

This video just shock the hell out of me. I live in Barbados in the Caribbean and I have being seeing so many of wild weeds for all my life and had no idea that most them can be used for food. Thank you so very much for posting this video my friend, because of this video, I will be on the look out for eatables in the wild from now on, with the help of a book base on wild eatable greens.

[@HaphazardHomestead]

I" glad you enjoyed my wild salad video, Abstract Creations! Weeds and other wild plants have fed many people in your region and there are some strong traditions and great recipes for using them. I'll look forward to hearing from you about which weeds you have found around you. I'm excited for all the good eating you have ahead of you! Happy foraging!

[@HaphazardHomestead]

I" glad you enjoyed my wild salad video, Abstract Creations! Weeds and other wild plants have fed many people in your region and there are some strong traditions and great recipes for using them. I'll look forward to hearing from you about which weeds you have found around you. I'm excited for all the good eating you have ahead of you! Happy foraging!

[@HaphazardHomestead]

I" glad you enjoyed my wild salad video, Abstract Creations! Weeds and other wild plants have fed many people in your region and there are some strong traditions and great recipes for using them. I'll look forward to hearing from you about which weeds you have found around you. I'm excited for all the good eating you have ahead of you! Happy foraging!

[@HaphazardHomestead]

I" glad you enjoyed my wild salad video, Abstract Creations! Weeds and other wild plants have fed many people in your region and there are some strong traditions and great recipes for using them. I'll look forward to hearing from you about which weeds you have found around you. I'm excited for all the good eating you have ahead of you! Happy foraging!

[@HaphazardHomestead]

I" glad you enjoyed my wild salad video, Abstract Creations! Weeds and other wild plants have fed many people in your region and there are some strong traditions and great recipes for using them. I'll look forward to hearing from you about which weeds you have found around you. I'm excited for all the good eating you have ahead of you! Happy foraging!

[@lenim9303]

It's nice to see the cow eat the grass

[@marareyes1956]

I am so lucky to watch ur vlogs

[@HaphazardHomestead]

Thanks, Mariewinks!

[@carolburnett8372]

I have been slicing and drying leaves from the leek plant......I dried them in oven......I got the oven up to 170 degrees and turned it off and left only the oven light on and in 24 hrs they were so crispy and golden.......I crunched them up to add to fries, or to seasoned salts or even to sprinkle on frying pork chops......yummy

[@lrll5745]

Wow I want to forage salad like that! Yum!

[@jonasaur6462]

i love how you review after the collecting, well done!

[@aprilray3034]

Gonna get out in my overgrown yard right now, I'm hungry

[@HaphazardHomestead]

That salad is filling, alright! Eventually, I get my yard more trim, but it's hard in spring, when there's so much food out there! : )

[@joybickerstaff194]

Haphazard Homestead Hello Sally! I to do not like to mow my yard n spring or summer, mostly spring, my Neibors on the other hand have no problem with calling me n, I do let it go for a bit, and hope for rain to extend my search time. Before October 2017 I had a flip phone, which was no good of course for identifying anything, I have a few books, they to show/explain little. Getting my iPhone made me a spaghetti brained, nut case Lol, I cannot learn enough, fast enough. Though I am proud to say, I have come to recognize a plant before the name is said, not many, but a few. I need to write down the names of plants, edible parts during the season and how their eaten. Thank u

[@felicitywoodruffe4087]

I live in England. I have so many wild plants growing in my garden Hawthorn.bitter cress.chickweed.dandelions.ground elder.wild violets.plantain.i have a tree in my garden it's branches swoop downwards I call it my Japanese temple tree because of the shape of the branches it is evergreen some kind of fir tree? I have stinging nettles.dead nettle with the phone pink flowers low growing nature. Mahonia.englush BlackBerry. Raspberry bushes.hooseberry bushes.goji berry tgat has never flowered and for tgat has never fruited.redcurdant and blackcurrant and strawberries that have lots of rich healthy leaves but never fruit . I am too scared to eat any of this except the ground elder,cleavers, nettles,chick weed.

[@tonyab63]

I ENJOYED YOUR VIDEO Holly. keep doing what you do. you have a special gift. thanks for sharing your knowledge

[@SAMAEDRM5280]

Thank you. I have just learnt a lot! Have been clearing and binning these great greens and flowers.

[@lindafreeman5006]

I love your video. I am learning so much from knowledgeable people like yourself. I am clearly a newbie, so I am going slow. Fear is just awful, but I didn't grow up learning this stuff and I want to be careful. Thank you SO much for taking the time to make this video and sharing your wisdom. That salad looked Terrific

[@AMonikaD]

Thank you SO MUCH for the recepy for the dressing!!!! Thank you for mentioning me by name AMonikaD too, made me feel so nice !!! Here it's a year later but I did find the video, your recepy and I'm grateful you addressed me. I cant wait to make that salad. The only thing that doesnt grow here is the locust tree. But the other ingredients I can surely find. You make everything sounds so yummie I want to run out and forage! God bless!

[@archadeinteriors]

This video is league's ahead of anything else out there. Pure green gold. I've seen and read up on these wild edibles, but you really destroyed! There is 5 times the info in all the videos combined packed into one video.Great job and thank you so so much for sharing your wealth of wisdom and your delightful personality with us. You deserve a medal for this : )

[@HaphazardHomestead]

Thanks for your appreciation, archadeinteriors! There are so many great plants to eat out there, just waiting. I like the challenge of putting together a wild salad. They are different every time, but I've never had a bad one yet. They are so satisfying to eat. I hope you can enjoy some great salads, too, from the plants around you!

[@arch-aidecontracting5016]

Thanks for your responding back to me! I too love the Crepis Setosa And heretofore i am going to pretend i have always known what it is called: ) . . . with so many plant options it's almost like one might have to have do strategic plans of salad possibilities, -not just for flavor optimization, but for nutritional focus, and health or immunity emphasis too. I love salads and could eat one every day with dinner, or as light meal, especially in the summer months. If i come up with a great combination maybe i will make a point to mention it in case you want to share on you channel. The star performers of this episode were, for me, the grand fir, elm, spruce, and black locust tree, which effectively blew me away and opened up a whole new universe of plant sustenance and wild edibles. Thanks again for what you are doing and for sharing your knowledge and experience with us. . .

[@joycebrewer4150]

I have also nibbled soft maple leaves in the spring, when they are red and undersized. Never tried mature leaf.

[@ladylady3992]

I'm so hungry for weeds right now! 😍

[@occipitalneuralgia2339]

-Spruce teas are an excellent extremely high source of vitamin C in wintertime. -My lemon balm grew very large, the leaves were way too tough to chew. What should I do (was thinking of digging the bush up). -One thing I found is not to put everything I collect into one salad because sometimes flavors (and textures) can fight and overwhelm each other. Mints, with sorrels, lemon -balms, dandelions, fennel, spruce, garlic, garlic mustard, and other strong flavors all in one salad is an assault on the senses in my experience. -Love your food forest! Best way to garden! It must have taken you a while to collect all those species to grow in your space.

[@tngalvols1184]

Ohhh I would love to eat all that good stuff

[@songlyon7795]

I love your videos so much! I watch them again and again. Thank you! Have a happy spring. from Song

[@HawthorneHillNaturePreserve]

Awesome knowledge and salad. Looks so delicious. I will be expanding my spring harvest of dandelion to include as many of these that I can find. 💕🍃🍀🌿🌱

[@aidoan7795]

It looks yummy and healthy wild Salad , thanks for Video

[@mariatorres9789]

Didn't know I can eat black locus flowers. Nice!

[@stacyrosa7481]

Watching at 3 am, and actually considered grabbing the flashlight to go forage my yard!

[@maija-liisapiittari9618]

We in Finland have light all night long by now until august. Last night I thought to go working out there in all peace, but had to rest anyway. It's the busy time in garden, preparing the soil for sowing, which should have been done already. But I am only one, sadly, with not much power left. Really enjoy everything I might find in my garden wild to eat. That's why I do not use mower, for not to pollute my weeds.Instead I use my scythe, inherited from my parents.

[@HealthyLifeFarm]

That salad looked delicious! So many plants, leaves included that I had no idea were edible. Amazing information! TFS, :) Peaches

[@HaphazardHomestead]

Hey, Peaches, it's always good to see you here. It is amazing how many plants are worth eating. Many of them, I don't think, would be so enjoyable all by themselves. That's why these salads are so good - a little bit of a lot of different plants is completely delicious! I have to keep myself from telling folks - "Don't step on lunch!" ; )

[@kimkayoda3941]

Thanks again for wonderful information! I did blanch a combination of henbit,nettles, sticktight, nipplewort, wrapped it all in a norisheet to make a wrap, very nice! I live in Hawaii and am learning new things like banana stems as the plant is cut once it fruits. Your videos are so clear and stress good habits, I am learning so much!

[@sarabarruffe5373]

Loved your video. These past few years I have become more interested in and learning about wild plants and this video was the best ever. Last year I had an abundance of chickweed in my garden and have made lots of tea for my husband's health issues. I hope to o e day be as knowledgeable as you are and take advantage of all of God's creation. 🌿

[@julywerden5299]

So knowledgeable. Thank you for sharing x

[@HiddenBlessingsHomestead]

Thank you, I have been learning wild edibles for years now, but still have so much to learn. This is exactly what I am interested in, not just a trail nibble but how to make a meal out of what is around me.

[@xiomanaxoxoxo3212]

omg that looks amazing..wow

[@ladyofthewildforest9902]

I make cleavers tea from the bigger plants! Great medicine! thanks for sharing !!

[@ElenaHaskins]

Thank you for this video and for always including the binomial for the plants. So helpful...

[@hanzketchup859]

Thanks for sharing . Cheers

[@Taai02]

THANKYOU soooo much for your videos!!!

[@HaphazardHomestead]

You're welcome! I hope you have some of these great plants in your area. They are worth getting to know. I enjoy every one of them!

[@cherylramey4920]

Awesome thanks for your time and knowledge 😊

[@rawrevelations8971]

LOOK at your skin! Just beautiful from eating fresh food!! I am learning to identify these plants and eating these every day. My goal is to never have to go to a grocery again. Thank you for sharing your knowledge!

[@kimberlyg7791]

You are golden! I love your videos and would love to go foraging with you! Oh my goodness I could learn so much from you.

[@auntiehelenrizpah]

Wow! Love it! You go girl!!

[@conservativemovement]

Amazing!

[@dukenegju]

Very informative! Thank you, Love

[@robind.phillips2129]

Thanks for sharing

[@chanceweslowski7792]

This is actually very calming and helpful

[@suzanadancks]

I think you're just amazing!! Thank you for sharing your knowledge, I learned a lot🤗❤

[@DeeDee-dl7sl]

Love this video!

[@minnesotasalamander5913]

Great video. Thank You

[@zombiesRus_1]

That salad looked amazing

[@sarahstrong7174]

Thankyou so much. All the best.

[@nirvachoritchy2933]

Fantastic, thank you 😊

[@Anonymous-kt6fs]

Love the use of background music here(Kevin MacLeod - Garden Music). Thanks for soothing my day!

[@sprinklesandseries6340]

You amaze me. Thank you for posting. I'm learning so much.

[@constance717]

Amazing video!!!! Thank you !

[@redyumi6441]

Hooray hooray for new videos! What an inspiration!

[@HaphazardHomestead]

Thanks, Red Yumi! I was surprised how many different plants I found for this salad. As spring moves into summer, there's such a shift in the plants. At least the ones in good enough shape for a salad. Salads are the most challenging because they have to be tender and tasty, without any blanching. I hope you have some of these plants around you!

[@nikunjakirtan]

That was cool. I'm inspired.

[@cutiesusieq7413]

Loved this video and your enthusiasm!

[@inglescallejero]

This was amazing!

[@HaleyKristen]

Thanks so much for this video! Can’t wait to hunt out some of these greens.

[@debravalerio4929]

Wow I have to show your video to my boyfriend he was just asking me last weekend if it was possible to make a salad from wild edibles and I told him of course I’m glad I found your video another thing that surprised me is I have a fork exactly like the one you have I found it at a thrift store

[@toddfagan7703]

Omg you are the herbal salad queen .you are very good to your self missy .i cant wait to know half of what you know .thank you so much for your percise foraging .an great food demos .love your vids an humor.

[@flourflower3499]

Your channel is the best!!!

[@gingermarie1760]

Thank you for sharing! Jesus bless you!

[@susiecarlisle2417]

I love your videos thank you sooo very much

[@chelsiewinter4009]

Love your Channel! Thankyou so much!

[@donnamilligan1763]

Thank you I like the way you explain it

[@autumnhuling6699]

Love your work

[@HaphazardHomestead]

Thanks, Autumn Huling!

[@minnesotasalamander5913]

Thanks. I really appreciate you.

[@toddfagan7703]

So good

[@lindamoses3697]

Holy Moly!!! I had no idea there was a salad out back!!! Thanks so much!!!

[@shelleypilcher3812]

Man. You are Soo fun, and made this video Soo enjoyable to watch. And your soo good at what you do. Excellent video. Sent to 5 of my friends. Thank you.

[@plantagardenforever]

I love all of your videos, the foraging for wild salads are my favorite! 🥗

[@HaphazardHomestead]

Thanks, Plant a Garden! I appreciate that feedback, too, about the wild salads. I enjoy how wild salads are different every time, as the seasons change, and even year to year because of weather and the plants themselves. I like eating these salads, so I'll be doing more of them. Happy foraging!

[@tonyjensen8847]

Fantastic

[@TheDailyDigestion]

Great video!!! Thank you so much!!!

[@jesicawalker1620]

Me too. Plz offer classes one week at a time. We would all work in the homestead. Just to learn in person. Jesica

[@savedbygrace7892]

thank you so much for sharing all that precious knowledge.it's an amazing feeling to look at weeds right under my feet and see them in a whole new way!nutritionally packed organic food 😀.not to mention free of charge 😁.exciting and somewhat therapeutic outdoor activity God bless you 💖

[@anurse2794]

I really enjoy watching you. I've learned alot! Thanks!

[@elizabethhansen2889]

You are super intelligent and super talented!!! Thank you so much for everything you've taught me! I just made spruce tip vinegrette this year and I can't get enough of it!!!

[@susanarossini9326]

WOW ! I just had to subscribe . Hope to put it into practice . Thank you .

[@larosieroc7490]

Thanks God you have good experience and Mother Nature l love you God bless you for your help thanks sister plant base love course nothing

[@bratbrodert8038]

Mrs. I saw your channel by chance. And ı liked it a lot. Very hearty and natural. Just the way it should be.

[@HaphazardHomestead]

Thanks, onur brodert! I'm glad you're here! Enjoy your plants!

[@lucyhuff9708]

Interesting! I do have some of those plants in my yard, never knew that you can eat them 👍

[@colleeninprayer1498]

Wow 😮 great information 🙏

[@HaphazardHomestead]

Glad you liked it! There are a lot of great plants to eat out there! :D

[@lieblee3063]

I love you you make all the wild edibles look and taste Delicious!!!👍🙏😍😘❤️

[@HaphazardHomestead]

Thanks, Lleb Lee! I really do enjoy eating all these plants, so I'm glad that comes across. It's amazing how much abundance there is, all around us.

[@lieblee3063]

Yes mame God bless you

[@tracicomstock6525]

Looks sooo good! Every time I watch I see more things in my yard. Please keep on with it. Thank you soo much!!

[@ritamccartt-kordon283]

Hello from TN! WOW! I wish I could have found you back when I lived in Oregon! I lived in Pleasant Hill and in Springfield! My Sister still lives in Springfield!! We have always eaten the Wild Things! You have given me so much more to hunt for!! Thank you! Bee Blessed!! Danny and Rita in TN on Rooster Ridge

[@ambrosiaamore9860]

Fantastic video👏👏👏👏

[@geraldinegregory.1803]

Great video. Very informative. Many, many thanks for posting such useful information.

[@R20104]

Awesome video!

[@MrsHeavencitizen]

Oh o , learn a lot from your video. Thank so much ma’am .

[@HaphazardHomestead]

Glad you enjoyed my wild salad, MrsHeavencitizen! The wild plants are worth knowing, for sure!

[@toddfagan7703]

Thank you again

[@arraybabe8514]

Excellent video!!! 10/10!

[@celiahuling8024]

Your my favorite !

[@TheFreeMelonSociety]

Amazing work!

[@thanhhoale3886]

Yummy ! Thanks for your informative video clip ! I have learned something today and will try to pick some leaves in my backyard to eat and see how good it is ! I like wild edible stuffs !

[@HaphazardHomestead]

Glad you enjoyed my wild salad, Thanh Hoa Le! Even though not all the plants around us are good to eat, there are so many that are worth eating! I hope you can enjoy some wild edible plants in your area, too!

[@remnantfewministriesminist495]

A superfood salad. Looks yummy!

[@HaphazardHomestead]

These wild salads really are so wonderful. I have never had a bad one, even though every one is different and I don't plan out the ratios of the plants. They are super, for sure!

[@kahsmira]

Thank you...that was awesome soo many plants...and that salad n dressing just topped it off :)

[@HaphazardHomestead]

Glad you enjoyed my wild salad, Heeni Kerekere! These salads are so delicious. I hope you have some of these plants around you!

[@ultimatehomestead1466]

Thank You for Sharing ur Knowledge ! We can tell when you really liked certain things as the leaf returned in half :-) ... Knowledge like yours is rare & nothing you've said sounded rehearsed like some we've watched , Thanks again !